CHARLOTTE -- With 6:09 remaining in a five-point game, Duke rotated the ball around the perimeter to Shavlik Randolph, who hoisted up a three-pointer from the top of the key. The ball clanged off the rim and Davidson grabbed the rebound.
The shot was representative of the Blue Devils' offense, which struggled in its execution and was hounded by a stingy Wildcat defense throughout Monday's 74-61 win. Duke needs to improve its half-court sets so that Randolph--who has only hit nine three-pointers in his career--is not taking long shots late in the game.
"Our offensive struggles were primarily due to Davidson's defense," head coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "We did not get good shots because of their defense, not because we missed shots. Toward the end of the half, we missed a couple inside, but for most of the first half they played hard and they played really good D."
For the second straight game, the Blue Devils were flat at the start. J.J. Redick missed his first free throw attempt of the season and was just 1-for-5 from three-point range in the first half.
Davidson applied pressure against Redick around the perimeter the entire game and double-teamed center Shelden Williams whenever he caught the ball in the low post, limiting Williams to 15 points.
"I was thrilled with our defense," Wildcat head coach Bob McKillop said. "I thought we played gutsy, gritty and aggressive defense throughout the game."
Duke looked unsettled at times with the ball and although Daniel Ewing led the team with 19 points, he shot just 7-for-19. One of those was a 35-foot heave from midcourt as the shot clock expired after a poorly executed set.
Luckily for the Blue Devils, Sean Dockery had the best offensive game at Duke, setting a career-high with 15 points. He drained a clutch three-pointer from each corner in the first half and iced the game by making 7-of-8 free throws in the final two minutes.
"The kid who had a magnificent game for us was Sean Dockery. He gave us great energy," Krzyzewski said. "We needed that experienced perimeter to play against them and Sean came through, not just in shooting but with three steals and no turnovers."
Dockery has struggled with his shot throughout his career, especially from the line, where he connected on only 51.5 percent of his attempts last season. Despite the strong performance, his success on the offensive end must be looked at with cautious optimism.
Davidson needs to be applauded for its defensive intensity, but at the same time Duke fans should be concerned that their team lacks a player who Coach K can rely on for production in a close game.
Ewing came through briefly with two crucial scores with five minutes left to play Monday.
"When it was 55-51 I thought our captain Ewing made two great plays," Krzyzewski said. "He got the steal and then we called a set for him to shoot the high-ball screen and he knocked down a three. Those five points I thought were the tale of the game."
Ewing, however, lacked consistency and at times appeared out of control while driving to the basket, which resulted three offensive fouls.
Four Blue Devils scored in double digits but Duke received almost no offensive contribution from Randolph or its two freshmen, DeMarcus Nelson and David McClure, who each played just seven minutes.
Nelson, who is California's all-time high school career scoring leader, is not even looking for his own shot on the offensive end, and McClure, who is not expected to carry much of the offensive load, missed his only shot.
Despite its struggles, Duke still managed a win against a Wildcat team that Krzyzewski said would have beaten most opponents on this night. But Duke's most glaring weakness--its lack of a big-time scorer--was revealed.
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